Exit Stage Left
by heylaheyheylola
Summary: When Flora escapes from her sheltered life at finishing school, she thought she'd finally be free. Swept up in the glamour of Medda's show, and the rough and tumble world of the newsies, she gets a little more than she bargained for. DavidxOC
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I am saddened by this fact. Also, the title will probably change. Just an FYI**

**Chapter 1**

**Flora's POV**

The day was burning hot, unsurprising for the middle of August, but I didn't even care. I was too happy to be free, and running around the streets of Manhattan. I could hear the cries of newsies ringing around me, the conversations of people passing, and other sounds of the city, and it. My friend Eleanor, otherwise known as Elle, trailed me a distance behind, twitching nervously. She was a country girl, no doubt about it. Hated the noise and the smog that New York what it was. Of course, the real reason she was nervous was that technically, we were on the lam.

"Flora, you and both know we shouldn't be here!" She squeaked, finally catching up with me. Her eyes flicked from side to side, trying to catch sight of anything that could bring us back home.

"Oh please," I laughed. "Can't a girl go see her auntie?"

"Well… Yes, but…" she stammered.

"But nothing," I cut her off. "I'm going to visit my only relation, and you can come if you wish!" I whirled on my heel, and stalked off towards Irving Hall. My auntie Medda performed there, and I always came there whenever I managed to slip away from my schoolmistresses' clutches. I had snuck out of an assembly at our convent school today, with her in pursuit. She had no idea how to get back there without me, so I knew that she would follow. I was about to duck through the door, when I heard her footfalls behind me. I turned to face her.

"Fine," she said, "I'll come. But if we get in trouble, it's on you!"

"Me?" I inquired innocently. "Trouble? I am offended you'd even think such a thing!"

She snorted. "After the last time, I'd be stupid if I didn't."

I shrugged expressively, and walked into the theatre.

*****

We took our seats at the very front, right up near the stage, and watched as the showgirls came on. I admired he showgirl numbers, mainly because I thought that would be the most interesting job in the world. Getting to go onstage and perform was a far cry more interesting than being stuck at the convent school all day, stitching handkerchiefs and learning how to sit properly.

"Flora!" Eleanor poked me in the ribs.

"Jesus, Elle, what'd you do that for?" I said, rubbing my injured side.

"Look over there!" Her eyes had gone as wide as silver dollars. I followed her gaze until it hit on a table of rowdy boys. Newsies, I could tell from the caps and hands covered in ink. Onstage, the showgirls' number finished, and they blew kisses to the audience as they walked offstage. The boys all whistled and waved their caps.

"Flora, don't LOOK!" Elle grabbed my elbow and pulled me away from the newsies. "Jeannette says not to look at boys, unless they look at you first!"

"And has Jeannette left the convent since she was seven?" I threw my hands up in exasperation.

"Well, no…"

"My point exactly!" I said, and turned back to look at the boys. They weren't watching the show anymore. They were watching us.

**David's POV, **

"Ey! Davey!" Kid Blink shouted. "Take a look at dem goils ova dere!" The table hushed up immediately and everyone turned towards the two girls. Their heads were bent together over their table. A tiny blonde girl was shaking her head vehemently, and whispering to her redheaded friend. The other girl threw her hands up, and turned to face us. She met my eyes with a smirk then turned back to her friend.

"Mush, wasn't dey somethin'?" Race said, leaning over to his fellow newsie. Mush was already a goner. He was still staring at the back of the red haired girl's head. "Ey, everybody! Mush's in love!"

"He ain't got no shot with her!" Jack laughed. "Didn't cha see she's only lookin' at Davey?"

The table exploded in raucous laughter, and I blushed scarlet. "Can ya just shut up and talk about somethin' else?"

"No, I wanna keep talkin' 'bout that goil!" Mush said.

"Ah, jus' watch the show!" yelled Boots, and they settled back down.

Medda floated across the stage, singing a song about a lover who'd done a runner. My mind was still on the girl. Who was she? A factory girl, or some one of the showgirls on her night off? I had no idea, and with most other girls, I wouldn't have cared. But with this one... I really wanted to know.

**If you review, I will send you cosmic goodwill and virtual hugs!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own anything. Every night i wish upon a star that I did. THE STARS LIE TO ME!**

**Chapter 2**

**Flora's POV**

After the show, we made our way backstage, up a rickety set of stairs and to Medda's dressing room. I rapped sharply on her door.

"I'm sorry, but I don't greet my public after shows!" she called from inside.

"Aw, that's a shame." I called back. "And here I was really hoping to meet the famous Medda Larkson!"

A beat passed, and then door flew open. "Sweetheart!" she pulled me up into a tight hug. "Did they finally let you out of that miserable convent?"

Eleanor let out a mirthless laugh. "_Let out _may be a bit of an overstatement."

"Did you escape again?" Medda held me at arms length, a frown etching itself across her face.

"Yes."

"You'll get me arrested for harboring fugitives!" she said. "And after the rally, you know they'll shut me down like _that_!" she snapped her fingers to illustrate her point.

"Aw, auntie, you love my visits too much to ever tell me to leave." I kissed her cheek.

"True enough," she sighed. She began to descend the staircase with us in pursuit. "Business has really picked up since the strike, though. People really want to see a riot, and they think that since the newsies come here, that'll happen! They think they're animals!"

"Well, they're not exactly the most civilized people in the word," Eleanor sniffed.

"They're a far cry nicer than Sister Mary Eunice and her stitchery lessons. She just uses prettier language." I retorted. "Have you even met a newsie, Elle?"

"Well, no…" she said.

"You're just in time then!" Medda interrupted. "When the newsies come to see the show, they always drop by backstage to see me. You'll get to meet one!"

Eleanor turned a violent shad of fuchsia, but didn't protest as we continued down the stairs.

**David's POV**

We stood in a herd at the bottom of the staircase. Mush, having already forgotten the redheaded girl, was flirting with a gorgeous showgirl. The rest of them were trying to figure out how to win her attention away from him.

"Mush, stop charming my showgirls. Last time you were here, by the time you left they were all at each others throats over who was your favourite!" Medda had arrived, and was looking down at Mush from the stairs with an amused expression.

He shrugged. "Sorry, doll." The girl huffed and flounced away.

"Ey Medda," Jack grinned. "Always good ta see ya."

"Jack," she smiled warmly and kissed his cheeks. "I got someone I want you to meet."

She turned, and I caught sight of two girls who'd been hidden behind her. The girls from the show! "This is my niece, Flora," she continued, gesturing to the redheaded girl. "And this is her friend Eleanor," pointing to the tiny blonde. Now that they were up close, I noticed more about them. Flora's face was covered in freckles, and her eyes were as gray as storm clouds. Her hair was twisted up in a knot, with loose tendrils escaping around her face. Her mouth had a permanent smirk, so it looked like she found something privately hilarious, that no one else would ever know. Eleanor was her complete opposite. Her blonde hair was carefully curled into perfect ringlets that framed her round face. Her eyes were dark brown, and currently staring at the assembled newsies like we all had three heads!

"Miss, can I help ya down?" Mush said, smiling charmingly up at Flora.

"Hmmm… No," she smiled winningly. "Why don't you go back to your showgirls?" A loud ooh rose up from the newsies. "I think…" she scanned the crowd. They hopped up and down, hoping to be the one she picked. Finally, she pointed imperiously. At me. "You may help me down."

I made my way over to the base of the stairs, and offered her my hand. She rolled her eyes, and grabbed both my hands, placed them on her waist, and in swift move, hopped down from the staircase onto the floor. The newsies snickered, and I blushed bright red and dropped my hands. "I'm David," I managed to get out.

"Lovely to meet you, David," she said. "You are a perfect gentleman. But I think all in all, Eleanor was right about you lot."

"And what did Eleanor say about us lot?" Kid Blink mimicked.

"Why that you were uncivilized!" she affected an air of good-natured shock. Everyone started to yell in protest, and Eleanor started making terrified squeaking noises. "Why else would no one have offered to help her down?" The yells changed into laughter, and Mush rushed over to help her down. She took his hand and gave her friend the death glare. It didn't faze Flora. She just blew her friend a kiss, which Mush pretended to catch and hold to his heart.

"So, who is everyone?" Flora asked. "Are you all newsies?"

"We'se all newsies, miss," Kid Blink pushed his way in front of her. "And dis is Mush, Jack, Boots, Racetrack, and you've already met Davey," he continued "And I'se Kid Blink."

"It's lovely to meet all of you," she curtsied, and Eleanor followed suite. "And don't bother with calling me miss. Flora will do just fine."

"You boys should hang around proper ladies like these more often," Medda laughed. "They bring out the best in you!"

"Proper ladies don't escape their schools to go to burlesque halls, Miss Larkson," an icy voice sounded from behind us.

Eleanor blanched. "Mr. Lloyd, we were just… What I mean is…" she fell silent.

"Can we help ya?" Jack stepped in front of the girls.

"Yes." The speaker walked towards them. He was a tall, gaunt man in his fifties, with a sour look on his face. "You can get out of my way. These girls will be coming with me."

"Oh, ya? You'se and who's army?" Everyone had grouped in front of the girls.

"Young man, I'd advise you to step aside. I could have you jailed for abduction if you're not careful."

Jack looked ready to protest again, but the girls pushed their way through everyone towards the man. "It's fine, really it is," Eleanor whispered. "But thank you." Mush tipped his cap, and she gave a tiny smile. Flora's mouth was set in a hard line. As soon as they reached him, he grabbed them both by their elbows and pulled them out the stage door.

"Jesus, Medda, what was dat?" Race asked. "Why'd dey get lugged off like dat?"

Medda sighed heavily, and sat down on the stairs. "That's a story for another time boys. Now you'd better leave." She gave a wan smile, "I don't want Kloppman on my case for having you out too late."

We said our goodbyes, and started towards the lodging house. I guess it was inevitable we'd talk about the girls and their mysterious disappearance.

"Maybe they'se real society goils," said Race. "Who'd rather be showgoils!"

"If ya was a society goil, why'd ya wanna be a showgoil?" asked Boots.

"So I could meet newsies!" yelled Race.

"Maybe they're factory girls who skipped work to see the show!" I said. "And they man who came to get them was the foreman!"

"But den why would dey talk like real ladies?" Boots asked.

"I don't know," I admitted. "And if they're real ladies, why'd Medda say Flora was her niece?"

"Medda's more of a lady den you'll evah meet!" Jack said. "But I take ya point."

I'd thought that if I met her, my questions would have been answered. But instead she left me with more. I had to figure out how to solve them.

**Review for virtual trains that will take you to Santa Fe and my eternal love!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I wish.**

**Chapter 3**

**Flora's POV**

"You two are absolute disgraces," the Mother Superior ranted. She'd been at us ever since we'd gotten back from Medda's, at which point we'd been summoned to her. "A burlesque hall! A den of ill repute! Even for _you_, Flora Collins, this is a whole new level of depravity!"

I bristled. "Irving Hall has an excellent reputation! And depravity? All we did was visit my aunt! "

"Visit your aunt? When Mr. Lloyd found you, you were in a crowd of rowdy street urchins, and your aunt did nothing to stop their association with you! If your mother, god rest her soul, had seen you with them, I despair of what she may have thought!"

"How dare you bring her into this?" I yelled.

"How dare _I?_" she screamed back at me. She drew her hand back and, quick as flash, slapped me across the face. I sagged back against my seat, my hand rising to feel my face. It stung bitterly, but I would never let her know that I was hurt. "If you two seem to enjoy associating with urchins so much, who am I to stop you?" her voice was eerily calm, like being in the eye of the storm. "So, instead of punishment, this should be a reward. You two will aid the sisters in giving nourishment to poor street children, starting tomorrow. Miss Day, you will do this for two weeks," she directed this last at Eleanor, who'd been deathly silent throughout the last exchange. "And Miss Collins," she addressed herself to me. "Two months. Dismissed."

"Thank you mother," we both said. The words tasted like poison in my mouth. As soon as we left the room, Eleanor regained the ability to speak.

"That woman!" she practically squeaked. "How dare she!"

"Careful Elle," I smiled wryly. It only made the stinging worse. "If she hears you, you'll get a slap and six more weeks added on."

"And that's another thing!" she said, her voice growing stronger with each word. "We both snuck out, but I get a quarter of your punishment! And she never should have slapped you, or brought up your mother!" Elle is the only person who doesn't avoid the subject of my mother like the plague. I respect her for that, not thinking that I'm too delicate to hear a word about my sainted mother. But for the Mother Superior to tell me that she would judge me for behaviour… that's a whole different thing than the way Elle speaks of her.

"Elle, let's just leave it," I said. "Besides, the punishment isn't so bad this time." The last time I snuck out, I'd gotten into a fistfight with some idiot before I even made it to Medda's. That time, Mr. Lloyd hadn't hauled me back. It'd been the police. That time I'd been on lockdown for eight weeks, and locked in the chapel for three hours alone every day to pray for forgiveness. "Let's look on the bright side!" I continued cheerily. "Maybe we'll even get to see those newsies again!"

Elle snorted. "Only you would call that a good thing." We started walking towards our rooms.

"You can't say they were anything other than perfect gentlemen!" I laughed, ignoring the pain that shot through my cheek at the sudden move. "In fact, that nice boy helped you down!"

She looked at me like I was crazy. "It was a staircase. I could've walked down on my own!"

"But what's the fun in that?" I said. The sting was fading, which was good. With any luck, tomorrow the mark would be gone too.

"You certainly enjoyed being helped," she said. "By that boy… David, his name was?"

I realized what she was getting at. "He was very nice, but I've only met him once. It's not like in those books you read, the books you don't want the sisters to know about!"

She blushed a violent magenta. "Those are my private books!" she gasped. "How did you..?"

I shrugged. "You keep them under your mattress and take them out when you think I'm not looking."

"But why couldn't it?" she pressed. "Be like in the books. Love at first sight and all."

"Firstly, there are no newsies in your books. It's all pirates, and English lords, who sweep girls off their feet and waltz them off to faraway lands and estates. Second, the girl usually turns out to be a lost princess or something. If either of us were a lost princess, don't you think we'd have gotten the hell out of here by now?"

"Hey," she pushed me playfully. "You can't use that word here! St. Jerome would be so ashamed!"

"Goodness gracious!" I exclaimed. "And God forbid I offend St. Jerome, our dear patron." St. Jerome Emiliani is the patron saint of orphans, like me, and abandoned children, like Elle. That's why the convent school's named after him: The St. Jerome School for Orphan Girls. I'd been brought there when I was nine, but Elle had lived there her whole life. She'd been found on the steps when she was six months old with a note that said nothing but 'Eleanor'. The sisters had picked the last name 'Day' for her because it sounds it sounds like Eleanor Dei. In Latin, that means Eleanor of God. They thought it was terribly clever.

"Come on," she said, still laughing. "I'll race you back to the rooms!"

We took off like shots, our skirts flying out behind us.

**Review for cosmic love!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Someday, when I am supreme Empress of The Universe, I will own the rights. But I currently don't.**

**Chapter 4**

**Flora's POV**

"I resent having to do this," Elle muttered.

We were perched on the edge of the large cart that held all the food for the newsies. It was only us, and Sister Mary Martha, the youngest of the nuns. She had been a student at St. Jerome's before she took her vows. As such, she had plenty of sympathy for our plight. Not that I really thought it was a plight. I'd thought it over, and realized that I'd actually enjoy the so-called "punishment"

"Give it up, Elle," I laughed, bringing myself up to a standing position. "You know as well as I do that you are positively dying for those charming newsies to come back and sweep you off your feet!"

"Eleanor! Flora!" Sister Mary Martha called before Elle had a chance to respond. "They'll be coming soon and I want to make sure that we've gone over some ground rules." Elle scrambled up and we made our way to her. Sister Mary Martha was in her late twenties, with a round pleasant face and large blue eyes. She was a beauty, and I'd no doubt the day she took her vows she broke the hearts of half the boys in the city. "Alright, so today we'll be feeding the newsboys who work for The World." We exchanged an agonized glance. And then burst into hysterical giggles. "Girls, what has provoked this ridiculous behavior, but I will not tolerate this!" she looked befuddled. That made us laugh even more. Before long, we were doubled over with tears coursing down our faces. This was beyond perfect. The Mother Superior was so angry about us associating with the newsies, so as punishment she had us spend more time with them! "Girls, I really don't think this is appropriate behavior for young ladies like yourselves" she tried again, but we were too far gone. "Fine!" she snapped. "Be ridiculous! Make fools of yourselves! See if I care!" She marched to the other end of the cart, and stood there, sulking.

"Flora!" Elle squeaked. "I can hear them coming!" We could hear their voices, even though they must have been a block away. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, this is so nerve wracking!" Their voices got closer and closer, until finally, they came into view. They were running at full tilt, towards the cart. I scanned the throng, searching for the newsies that we'd met the other day. Finally, I caught sight of one of them. David. He hadn't seen me though. They were all singularly focused on the food and the mugs of coffee.

"Blessed children," Sister Mary Martha began, launching into a long speech. Elle grabbed my arm and pulled me back towards the food.

"What the hell?" I exclaimed, annoyed. This was no time for her unreasonable fears! And besides, I'd thought she'd gotten over the newsie-phobia.

"I'm going to do something that you may not like," she began. "But you'll thank me for this soon, I promise."

"What? This is absurd, I'm going back up…" I never got to finish. I took a step back, and she darted forward, placed her hands on my shoulders, and shoved me backwards. Suddenly, I was freefalling. I could hear shouts around me, but all I focus on was the smug look on Elle face. What the hell did she think she was doing? I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable impact. And then I hit something hard. Not the ground, I was too comfortable for that. What then? I opened my eyes and realized that someone had caught me. Someone I knew, actually. David.

**David's POV**

All the Manhattan newsies were rushing around the corner, trying to get to the food first. Even Les, who'd actually eaten this morning before we left home, was running like crazy.

We rounded the corner, and the cart came into view. A tall nun was standing at the front, facing the newsies. Two smaller figures were standing a distance behind her on the cart, their heads bent together.

"Blessed children," the nun started speaking, but not about anything new or interesting. We listened, mainly because once she was done, she'd hand out coffee, apples and bread.

Suddenly, one girl took a step backward. Her friend moved with her and briefly touched her shoulders, and she lost her balance, and tumbling off the cart. In a split second, I lunged forward, my arms held out in front of me, desperately hoping she'd hit me before she hit the ground. She slammed down into my arms, her eyes firmly closed. I felt a flicker of recognition. I knew who she was, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Her eyes fluttered open, and I immediately knew who she was. It was the eyes that did it. She was Medda's niece Flora.

"Hello, David," she smiled brightly. "It's lovely to see you."

"Um…" I said, searching for the words I'd been about to say before she smiled and scattered my thoughts. "It's nice to see you too."

"Hate to be a bother, but could you maybe put me down?" I hadn't realized I was still holding her. I let her down with a sheepish smile.

"Ey, Flora," Kid Blink said. "That was some fall ya had!"

"It was, wasn't it?" she said. "It would've been much worse if David hadn't caught me." She smiled again, softer this time. I felt oddly dizzy. "I guess I just lost my balance!" Her smile switched to a death glare at her friend, who was still on the cart. Eleanor wore an expression of utmost sympathy.

"I'm so sorry!" she squealed, quickly hopping off the cart and walking over to her friend. "I can't believe that you fell off! I should have made sure you kept your balance."

"Yes, yes you should have," Flora's words were curt. Did she blame her friend for her fall? I'd seen Eleanor put her hands on her shoulders, but it didn't look like a push.

"Flora Collins, you gave me an absolute fright!" the nun had bustled down from the cart too. "Are you quite alright?"

"Yes, Sister Mary Martha, I am perfectly fine," she sighed.

"Excellent!" Sister Mary Martha clapped her hands. "We ought to feed the nice boys who saved you from a nasty fall."

They returned to the platform, and began to hand out bread and apples. I kept my eyes on Flora. She was like a stained glass window; she seemed to glow with life from the inside out.

"So, Flora," Race called to her. "Are yous a nun or somethin'?"

She laughed. "No, we're students at St. Jerome's School for Orphan Girls."

"And when you saw us yesterday? That's 'cause we escaped!" Eleanor added.

"Escaped, huh?" Jack laughed. "I can't believe it."

"Well, believe it." Flora said. "This is our punishment. Feeding the likes of you!" she laughed, and tossed him an apple.

"How come dats a punishment?" Mush asked.

"Because, according to the Mother Superior, proper young ladies like us are not to associate with street rats like you," Eleanor smiled winningly.

"Ey!" Mush put his hand on his heart, like her words had wounded him. "Yous is breakin' me heart, Eleanor."

"That's all for today, boys!" Sister Mary Martha broke in. "I hope to see you all this Sunday _inside_ the church!"

"Long as dese two are dere, Sister!" Race called back, as all the newsies dispersed. I privately agreed with him. As long as Flora was there, I would be.

**A/N: Sorry for being MIA for a few days, but with exams and whatnot I have been ultra-busy!**

**Review for my eternal devotion, the kind that inspires epic love but not creepy stalking and stuff, cuz that's be weird.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Someday. Someday it will happen.**

**Chapter 5**

**Flora's POV**

"Elle!" I called. It was morning, and I was standing in front of my mirror, quietly taking in my appearance. There was one burning question on my mind.

"What?" she asked, emerging from under her bed. She couldn't find one of her romance novels, and was convinced the nuns had found it, and she'd get another week added to her sentence. Not that that would be the worst thing in the world, mind you…

"Up or down?" I pulled my hair into a bun, and then let it drop to demonstrate.

"Hmm…" she thought about it for a minute. "Down. That way David will definitely notice you."

"I don't think your book's lost, Elle," I retorted. "I think it seeped into your head while you slept and left all sorts of crazy notions!"

"The boy couldn't take his eyes of you!" she laughed. "Especially after your near death experience!"

"Which you facilitated!"

"I told you you'd eventually thank me for it!" she grinned mischievously. "And yesterday you didn't seem to care what you were wearing. Now suddenly it's the pretty dress, and the 'what should I do with my hair?'" She moved closer, and pulled a small jar of makeup off the vanity table. "Now hold still." She began to smear makeup along my cheekbone. The slap mark was barely visible, but when the Mother Superior had hit me her ring had left a nasty scratch on my cheek. We were covering it up with makeup until it healed.

"There we go!" she put down the jar, and stood back to admire her handiwork. "You can't even see it. Now if you'd just let me at the rest of your face, I could hide all those nasty freckles."

"I happen to like my freckles, thank you very much!" I exclaimed. We quickly finished our preparation for the day, and left the room without a second glance.

"Good morning newsies! Who wants coffee?" I sang out. The morning was cloudy and threatening to rain, but I didn't let that dampen my mood. Elle and I flounced through the crowd, dispensing food and hot drinks.

"Ey Flora," Skittery called. I'd been introduced to all the newsies by then, but sometimes got them confused. "Have yous got a boyfriend?"

They all got quiet very fast. "No, I don't," I responded. "Do you have a girlfriend? After all, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of good fortune must be in want of a wife!"

"Pride and Prejudice!" David exclaimed. "You've read Austen?"

"One of my absolute favourites!" I said. "I declare there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner anyone tires of anything than a book!"

"I have not the pleasure of understanding you," he shot back.

"Ya, well neitha does anyone otha than da two of yous!" Jack interrupted, and we all burst into laughter.

"Excuse me, miss?" a tall boy walked over. The newsies all tensed; it was immediately obvious that there was mutual dislike going on. "Are these boys bothering you?"

"Beat it Delancy," Race threatened. Delancy? I'd heard of them. Mainly bad things about what they'd done during the strike. Of course, I had my own reason for disliking one particular Delancy…

"No, Race, it's fine," I said, and stepped forward. "And you are?"

"Morris Delancy, at your service," he held his hand out for me to shake.

"Well, Morris Delancy," I retorted. "They aren't bothering me as much as you are right now." The newsies broke down laughing, and Morris clenched his fists. "Run along, I'm sure you have very important work to do, being Pulitzer's lapdog."

"Morris, get a move on…" another boy yelled. I didn't recognize him immediately, but as he got closer, it clicked in my head.

I turned to Elle, who'd been flirting with Kid Blink. "Elle, it's him. It's the guy from last time."

Her eyes grew wide, but she squared her shoulders with a steely resolve. "I'll get Sister Mary Martha," she began to push her way through the crowd.

"We have to…" his voice trailed off as he recognized me.

"Hello Oscar," I smiled icily.

He took a step forward and smiled sleazily back. "Hey dollface, back for more?"

I slapped him across the face. He reared back, then rage replaced the slimy charm in his eyes. He drew his fist back and drove it into my stomach. All went quiet in my mind as I fell backwards into the arms of Mush. Briefly, I noted that the other newsies had sprung into action. Jack was pummeling Morris, and others were trying to hold Oscar down, but he broke through them, and stalked towards me. I brought my leg up in a perfect arc, a high kick that smashed into his nose. He collapsed on the ground, moaning. Morris pushed Jack off him and ran to his brother.

"What the hell did you do!" he growled at me.

I straightened up. "Nothing he didn't do to me the last time I saw him." I spun on my heel and pushed my way back through the crowd. I couldn't go back to convent. I'd never be let outside again. There was only one place to go.

"Flora!" a voice called. A male voice. I was seized with panic, and whirled around. "Flora, are you alright?" I heaved a sigh of relief. It was David.

"I'm more or less fine," I sighed. "Apart from the spectacular black eye I'm going to have tomorrow." I looked more closely at him. It didn't look like he had any really big injuries, but looks can be deceiving. "What about you?"

He waved off my concern. "I'm fine. The Delancy's didn't get in any good shots," he paused, as if trying to formulate his next words. "Why'd they, you know…"

"Attack me?" I smiled bitterly. "It's kind of a long story…"

"I'd like to hear it."

"Fine," I said. I hadn't told anyone the full story except Eleanor, and I didn't know how to tell him. "But not here. Come on, I'll tell you at Medda's." As if sensing my mood, the sky opened up and began to pour.

We arrived at Medda's sopping wet and shivering.

"You still want to know?" I asked tentatively. He nodded.

I took a deep breath and began.

**Every time someone reviews i literally run in circles screaming with joy. So, be awesome and review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Yeah right.**

**Chapter 6**

**David's POV**

"I have a very long history with Oscar Delancy. It starts before he and I were even born, but I promise, it does get around to today.

"I was born in Manhattan. My mother was a dancer at Medda's, a second-generation Irish immigrant, and my father… I don't know. I probably never will. What I do know is he had money and status. He saw my mother dancing one night and went backstage after the show to meet her. After that night, he was at every show, and after every show, my mother always received a red rose. She was hopeless for him. He started seeing her outside of the theatre. Took her to fancy parties and all that. Even introduced her to his family. She did not impress them at all. They felt that he should be with a respectable girl from an old family. He stopped taking her to the fancy parties, but kept seeing her without his family knowing. Even bought her an apartment. She stopped dancing at Medda's after that, probably because he asked.

"She got a job as a parlor maid with a well to do family. The Delancys. She missed dancing, but never went back to it. She was happy for a while. Then she found out she was pregnant. She didn't know what to do, but she believed that he would marry her. She told him, and he seemed to take it well. A week later, she came home from work to find all his things gone. All he left was an envelope that held enough money to live well for the rest of her life, along with a key, and a note that said no goodbyes, only that the key would open a safety deposit box when I turned fifteen. She was devastated. She'd cut off all her ties with her family and friends, so she didn't have anyone to go to for help with the baby. She was alone except for the midwife when I was born. She couldn't get him out of her head, though. That's why my name is Flora; it means flower. Like the flowers my father used to send her. I have her last name, because she never wanted people to know who he was.

"After I was born, she had no idea what to do with me. Where to keep me while she was working. The Delancys gave her a week off to sort out her affairs. She spent it wandering around, trying to figure out what to do. Somehow she ended up in front of Irving Hall. Medda saw her, and my mother told her everything. They worked out that I would stay with Medda during the day, while my mother worked, and she'd take me home when she was done. Medda is actually my godmother, not my aunt, but I call her auntie Medda anyway. Soon, though, my mother started disappearing for long stretches of time. By the time I was five years old, I pretty much lived with Medda full time. One day, after almost three months without seeing her, she came to Medda's house to take me home with her. Medda didn't want her to take me, because she thought she was an unfit guardian for a small child. They got into a huge fight about it, and in the end, my mother took me away. I didn't see Medda for another three years.

"I spent my days helping her at the Delancy's after that. That's how I met Oscar. He was ten back then. Morris had been sent away to school in Connecticut, but Oscar went to school in the city. He wasn't very nice, even as a child. He'd hide my things, and pinch me, and other childish cruelties. Mother never did anything about it. She was too afraid of losing her job. We went on like that for two years. Throughout that time I learned to be afraid of my mother. She would leave me alone in the apartment every night, and I kept finding empty bottles. When I seven, she started just leaving me alone in the apartment during the day while she went to work.

"One day, she came home and told me that we were moving. It turned out that someone had set us up in a house. Mother didn't work for the Delancys anymore, but she still went out everyday. She was the mistress of some other wealthy man. I was left on my own for days on end, with only books for comfort. Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, the Bronte Sisters, I read everything I could get my hands on. When I was eight, I finally decided I couldn't stay there anymore. I took all the money I could get my hands on, a few battered books, and left without a second glance. I walked all the way to Medda's house on my own, only afraid that someone would return me to my mother. Medda took me in, and I was happy for the first time since I was five years old. About a year later, someone knocked on her door.

"It was Mr. Lloyd. You saw him the other day, coming to retrieve Elle and I. He informed Medda that my mother had drunk herself to death, and based on her dying wishes, I was to be sent to St. Jerome's. She almost took it to court, but in the end I was stuck.

"That was five years ago. Earlier this year, I decided to escape to visit Medda. I made it about halfway to Irving Hall when I ran into Oscar. He didn't recognize me, but I recognized him. He made a pass, and I declined. He tried again, and I slapped him in the face. He then proceeded to beat me to a bloody pulp. The police eventually pulled him off me, and returned me to the convent.

"When I saw him today, I didn't think, I just reacted."

I sat in stunned silence. She blushed self-consciously. "Sorry about all that. You probably didn't want the whole story."

"No, no," I hastily assured her. I moved closer to her, and tentatively wrapped my arms around her. "It's alright."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For being here."

**Review make me feel like the king of new york, so keep 'em coming!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Tragically, no.**

**Chapter **

**David's POV**

The next morning was just as miserable as the one before. All the newsies were waiting for the cart carrying food and the girls. They were running late this morning. I knew that Flora wouldn't be on it. She'd decided to stay with Medda.

"_I can't go back there," she whispered, eyes wide and scared. It was almost unbelievable to see her look so vulnerable. When I first met her, she'd seemed so alive, like nothing could touch her. Now she seemed so isolated and afraid. "After that last time… They'd never let me out again! I'd be trapped." _

"_Stay here then," I replied. "They'll come looking, but you could hide somewhere. Eventually they'll stop, and you'll be free."_

"_You're right, I could stay here," she said, fidgeting nervously. "But they'd hound Medda night and day. I'd need to stay somewhere else for a while."_

"_You could stay with me," I suggested. "They'd never think to look for you there!"_

"_I couldn't do that," she declined. "You barely know me. It's not fair to drag you into my troubles." I thought about pushing it, but I didn't. She was a very independent person, and she would do this with as little help as possible. _

"Earth ta Dave!" Race yelled, and snapped me back to reality. "What is goin' with yous?"

"I'll tell ya what goin' on with 'im," Kid Blink laughed. "He's think' 'bout dat girl of 'is. Flora. Couldn't take 'is eyes off her yesterday."

I blushed furiously. "She's not my girl!"

"Ya, and how would ya even know what happened yesterday? Yous was too busy flirting with Eleanor!" Mush added.

Everybody cracked up as the cart rolled around a corner. They stopped sharply directly in front of us. Sister Mary Martha was gone, and in her place was a much older woman, a tower of sharp angles. Eleanor was there, but she looked like she'd shrunk in on herself since yesterday. There was a large red mark across her face that looked like it'd been partially concealed by makeup. They began to hand out rolls of bread wordlessly.

"Ey, Elle!" Kid Blink called out to her. "How ya doin'?" She hurried in the other direction. He looked hurt, and a little angry at her wordless dismissal. He clearly didn't see the fear in her hazel eyes, and the way she looked at the nun. After Flora's escape, they'd clearly taken it out on Elle.

She cast another worried glance at the nun, then reached into a small pocket in her skirt and retrieved a small object. She grabbed an apple, and bypassing all the other outstretched hands, walked straight to me and pressed them both into my hands. She gave a tiny smile, and then hurried away.

I turned to Les. "Hey, do you want my apple?" He grabbed my apple and took off to talk to Jack. I inspected the object she'd pressed into my hand. It was a piece of paper wrapped around a smaller thing. I unrolled it and began to read.

_Dear David,_

_I assume by this point Flora will have told you her story. I think it's good for you to know, but I'm going to clarify one thing: why she wanted to run away. St. Jerome's declares itself to be a sanctuary for the abandoned girls of Manhattan. That is a lie. We eat, we have shelter, we have clothing, that's true. But we are utterly abused in every way. Have you ever read Jane Eyre? It is very much like Lowood School. Flora's too headstrong, too fearless for her good. She finds little ways to undermine the sisters, who in turn punish her severely. She's been getting bolder for a while now, and I think it's because her 15__th__ birthday's approaching. It's in three months actually. The convent owns you until you're 18, but she can open the safe deposit box when she's 15. In the three years after that, St. Jerome's will have full control over her assets, whatever they may be. That's why they're so desperate to get her back. They think it's a fortune or something. You've got to hide her. Medda's is the first place they'll look! Get her out of there as soon as you can, disguise her, for at least three months. Then she'll have the inheritance, and she can do whatever she wants to. That's why I'm giving you this. Make sure she gets it. _

_Thank you for everything,_

_Eleanor_

I stared at the letter in my hands, and then snapped out of it. So that's why they'd wanted her back so badly. I shoved the small object in my pocket without looking at it, and walked over to a cluster of newsies. They were all consoling Blink about Elle giving him the cold shoulder.

"Betta luck next time!" Mush laughed. "Believe me, I knows 'bout dis. Yous will find some otha goil and forget all 'bout her."

"I can't believe she'd just ignore me like dat," he grumbled. "Why? I's poifectly nice to her."

"She must be crazy," Jack snickered. "A goil ignorin' yous? Can't even imagine it!"

"She gave something to Dave, didn't she?" Les piped up. I silently willed him to be quiet. "A letter or something." Everyone turned to stare at me.

"Yes, she did," I answered nervously. Kid Blink was giving me a scary look, and I didn't think he'd actually take the time to read the letter if he made up his mind to soak me. I didn't even know if Kid Blink could read. "But it's not about her, it's about Flora."

"Come Davey, read it!" Mush catcalled.

"Okay, but there's some things I should tell you first," I wasn't sure how much to tell them. It was Flora's story, and I had the feeling that she didn't tell just anyone. It made me absurdly happy that she'd chosen to tell me. In the end, I told them a brief synopsis, just including the safety deposit box and St. Jerome's. By the end, they were all much more serious.

"So what was in da letta?" Race asked. I quickly read them the letter. I turned it over and saw a post script I hadn't noticed before. "_P.S. You should dye her hair and cover her freckles. They're her most distinctive features_. _P.P.S. Have you considered taking her out on a date? You would be perfect for each other." _Everyone whooped at that last part, and I cursed myself for not reading the post scripts before saying them aloud. "_P.P.P.S. Tell Kid Blink I would love to take him up on his offer, but I may never be let out of the convent ever again after this." _There was dead silence. Then…

"I think you should take her out on a date. She's really pretty and nice," Les interjected. Everyone burst out laughing, even me, a little. Then they sobered up.

"So, could we hide her?" Race asked. "It wouldn't be too hard. She could stay at the lodging house for a while."

"Ya," Jack scratched his head thoughtfully. "That'd probably be smaht."

"She's with Medda right now, but she can't stay there for long," I added thoughtfully. "I could go get her after I'm done selling today."

"You, me, and Les can go," Jack interjected. "What if ya run into da Delancys again?" We all agreed, and started towards the World headquarters. Suddenly, Les turned to me.

"In the letter, Eleanor mentions something she gave to you. What was it?" he asked.

I frowned. "I didn't see. I think I put it in my pocket." I reached into my pocket and felt around. Sure enough, my hand closed on a small object. I pulled it out, and opened my hand. Sitting in my palm was an iron key.

**To those who reviewed, you are all shining examples of magicalness. I wih I could give you all a free puppy. Keep the reviews** **a-comin'!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Nope.**

**Chapter 8**

**Flora's POV**

It'd been a whole day since I'd run away. A whole day since I got here for good. A whole day since I'd last seen Eleanor. A whole day since David left. A lot of milestones occurred in 24 hours. I hadn't really done much in my first day of freedom, just kind of floated around the theatre. I had to stay out of sight in case one of pursuers decided to drop by. I knew they were coming, I just didn't know when. This was the safest place in the world to me, but now every shadow held the Delancy brothers or Mr. Lloyd. In the end, I retreated to my dressing room. Medda had always had an extra dressing room she maintained for me, in case I ever got out. I was really glad she had.

A sharp knock sounded on the door. I panicked. Who could it possibly be? "Flora?" I softened immediately. It was Medda. "There are some people who want to see you; do you mind if they come in?"

"No," I responded. "You can send them right in." The door swung open, and David, Les and Jack walked in. "David!" I bounced up and practically flew across the room towards him. "Hi! It's wonderful to see you!" Behind him, Jack cleared his throat. "And it's very nice to see you too." He winked charmingly. "So what brings you here?" I asked.

"Elle gave me something to give to you," David pulled a key out of his pocket. "Said you'll need it." He took my hand and pressed the key into my palm. I held it up to the light. For the better part of five years, this key had taken up residence in a locked drawer in my desk. I should have known that if I was smart enough to know where Elle kept things she didn't want people to find, she would be smart enough to do the same.

"I will need it," I said, as I walked over to my vanity table and sat down on the chair in front of it. The boys fanned out behind me. "Thank you."

"She also said that you should dye your hair and cover your freckles," Les added. "And that you and Davey would be…" I never got to hear the rest of that sentence, as David had clapped a hand over his mouth. Would be what? Knowing Elle, it would be some silly romantic thing. Still, we'd be what?

"Well, she would think that I'd need to cover my freckles," I snickered. "She hates them! Thinks they make me look diseased or something."

"I don't think they make you look diseased," David said, then flinched, looking like he could kick himself for having said that. It was a little odd, but endearing.

"Well, thank you," I smiled warmly. "But she's right, they're far too recognizable." I grabbed a small compact from my vanity and flicked it open. I picked up a makeup brush and set to work, quickly covering my freckles. Throughout, I chatted with the boys about the strike, what it was like to be a newsie, and whether Les would ever have a chance with one of the dancers here. Once I was done, I turned to show them my handiwork. "So what do you think?"

"If I didn't know it was yous, I nevah woulda guessed," Jack said, smiling broadly. "But dat hair…"

"I know, I know, it's as bright as an open flame," I shrugged. "But somehow, I don't think you'd want to stick around while I dye it." Les wrinkled his nose. The older boys didn't seem to care that much, but I honestly had never heard of anyone who would want to sit idly by while I dyed my hair. I had to figure out something for them to do.

"Flora!" a squeaky voice sounded from the doorway. Kitten, one of the showgirls, breezed in. "Darling, Medda told me you might need something to hide your hair. Not that I would, if I were you. I mean, I would kill for hair like that! And if you ever sent a lock of your hair as a love token, the lucky boy would never forget you!" She brandished a blue glass bottle of dye. "Anyway, so this is dark brown. I was debating giving you bleach, but you'll be too pale. You'll look like an ice princess, and you may think that's pretty, but I have the most positively _horrific_ stories I could tell you about the things people say to you. This one time, someone asked…" She trailed off as she finally noticed the boys. "Ooh! Does someone have visitors? I'm Kathleen Keenan, better known as Kitten." They introduced themselves quickly and nervously. They seemed a little shaken up, but I couldn't blame them. Kitten was a lot to take in, but I liked her anyway. She was tough as nails under the flighty exterior, and smart as a whip. She was a classical beauty, with lush waves of honey blonde hair and eyes as blue as the sky on a cloudless day, so I guess that threw them off too. "So what brings you here?"

"We're here to take Flora back to the lodging house so the bad guys who're looking for her don't find her?" Les piped up. I froze up; they had come to take me to the lodging house? To hide me? I weighed my options. Staying with Medda would be the ideal, but this would be the most obvious place to look, and they'd assume I'd come back here eventually. That ruled here out. The lodging house was the next best option. It'd be easy to hide myself there with so many people there, and no one would think to look there. It wasn't a perfect fit – I could only imagine how I'd deal with living with hordes of boys for 3 months – but it was my best options.

"Y'alright, Flora?" Jack said cautiously. I started; I hadn't realized that I'd totally disengaged from reality.

"Fine," I answered. "Just give me some time, Kitten and I have got to make me a different girl." Their faces relaxed, totally relieved. It made me happy to think that it mattered to them that I was okay, that they were willing to take me in. "So all three of you can make yourselves busy until I'm done." Kitten and I shepherded them out, and got to work.

**David's POV**

"You don't think she looks diseased?" Jack's voice was full of barely compressed hilarity. "Very smooth. I bet she'd love to go out with you, now that she knows you don't think she'd diseased." We were leaning against Flora's door, waiting up for the dye to set. Les was off with some of the showgirls, charming them to pieces.

I flushed. "It just slipped out, okay? It's not like I could tell her that I thought her freckles just made her more beautiful?" I blinked, fully realizing what I'd just said. Jack's eyebrows looked like they were about to jump off his face. "Don't tell anyone I said that."

"What, that ya clearly are crazy 'bout her?" Jack started laughing.

"I'm not crazy about her! I barely know her!" I sputtered. "I just think she's…"

"Poifect? The most beautiful goil y'evah saw?" now he was practically in hysterics.

"You are absurd," I threw my hands up in exasperation. I was about to say something else that would probably be a lot less polite, but Les came running towards us.

"Ey, kiddo, finally toired of flirtin' wit da showgoils?" Jack reached down and ruffled his hair. Les brushed him off, his face serious.

"You know how you said if anyone was asking for Flora, I had to tell you?" he began. My heart started racing. Had they come already for her?

"Is someone asking for her?" I tried to keep myself calm. It could be nothing, it could be nothing, it could be nothing.

"Yeah," he responded. He was fidgeting nervously, shifting from one foot to the other. "This really tall old man. He looks like a murderer or something. D'you think he's a murderer?"

I didn't bother answering. We let Les lead us to where he'd seen the man. I had a sinking feeling I knew exactly who this man was. We rounded a corner, and came to the top of the stairs. Les was about to start down the steps, but Jack grabbed him by his collar and hauled him back around the corner.

"What do you mean escaped?" Medda's voice was uncharacteristically sharp. "She just walked away in broad daylight, exactly like the last two times? I would think that you would learn from your mistakes!"

"St. Jerome's is not designed to keep people in, Ms. Larkson," the man responded icily. "Perhaps Miss Collins would be better suited to the refuge." A chill crept up my spine. He was the man who'd come to take her back the other day. Mr. Lloyd.

Medda laughed mirthlessly. "You'd never do that. Her precious inheritance would go down the drain if you made her leave."

Jack elbowed me in the ribs. "Go tell Flora someone's come for her," he whispered. "We need to get her out as soon as possible." I turned, and ran soundlessly to her dressing room.

I knocked as quietly as I could on her door. It swung open, but with the wrong girl on the other side.

"Hey sweetheart!" Kitten chirped loudly. "You're just in time! It's finally dry, so you can take her too that lodging house of yours!"

I desperately shushed her. "Someone's come to take her back, and we need to get her out NOW, so if you could not mention that her name is Flora, or that she's going to the lodging house, or really anything about her, that would be wonderful."

Flora pushed her way past her friend. "We've got to go?" I nodded. She squared her shoulders. "Give me a minute." She bustled back into the room.

Kitten turned to me with an expression of utmost horror on her face. "She's going back?" she whispered agonizingly.

I nodded. "Not if I can help it." That sounded very heroic in my head, but came out sounding more nervous than I'd intended.

She smirked. "A hero, huh?" I guess it did sound pretty heroic. "She thinks she doesn't need one. Neither do I. Don't try to be her hero." I deflated a little. I knew she didn't need one, but I had this irrational urge to make all her problems vanish. "But she does need someone to help her," she continued. "And you can do that."

"Hey!" Flora re-emerged from her room carrying a carpet bag, her hair tucked up in a wide brimmed hat. She quickly hugged Kitten, and then turned to me. "Are we going or not?" she asked and we ran to the stairs.

As we approached, I started to hear the sounds of a heated argument.

"And if that is how you feel, Mr. Lloyd, I would thank you to leave my property and never return!"

"Yeah!" Les interjected. He and Jack were standing beside Medda, giving Mr. Lloyd twin death glares.

We came to the top of the stairs. "Medda," I began nervously. "Thank you for having us, but I think we'll be leaving now." She looked up sharply, her expression clearly stating that we needed to leave as soon as possible.

"It was lovely to see you, David," she spoke coolly, and I took that as a sign for us to get the hell out. Flora started walking with an unhurried grace, radiating calmness. I tried to match her calm, but every step I took, I felt like Mr. Lloyd was staring her down, trying to place her. We reached the bottom of the stairs, and my nerves settled. We were safe.

"Miss Collins," his icy voice sounded. I tensed up, but she kept moving towards the door, completely calm. "Miss Collins!" He took two long strides towards her and caught her arm in a tight grip. She whirled angrily.

"How dare you!" she exclaimed, attempting to wench her arm away. I had to keep myself from staring. She'd modified her voice so it had a soft Irish lilt to it, and was much higher than her normal speaking voice. Her hair pulled back and the absence of her freckles made her face look sharper, more angular, especially with her face twisted in anger as it was then. She was completely unrecognizable. "I have no idea who this Miss Collins is, but I can assure you, I am not her!"

He looked at her closely, than let his grip relax. "I am terribly sorry, miss..?"

She gave an affected little sniff. "I should hope you are." She turned to me. "David, I would like to leave now." She took my arm, and turned towards the exit.

"Miss?" he inquired, now with a sycophantic smile. He'd apparently decided that she was somebody high class, not to be angered. "I don't believe I caught your name."

She glanced over her shoulder. "Unsurprising, as I didn't say it." She turned back, and we continued towards the door. Suddenly, she stopped again. "However, if you must know, my name is Viola Adler." And with that, she gracefully glided out the stage door.

**A/N: The reviews you guys have been writing are so wonderful! You are the greatest people currently living. Also, bonus points for anyone who can guess the origin of Flora's alias!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Someday**

**Chapter 9**

**Flora's POV**

The second I left Irving Hall, something inside me snapped. Suddenly I was laughing, half doubled over in hysteria, even as I walked. The boys were giving me odd looks but I didn't care. I was free… or at least close to it, as long as Mr. Lloyd thought I was Viola Adler.

"Are you alright?" David sounded a bit nervous. Probably thought I'd gone insane.

"Absolutely!" I gasped. "Never been better in my entire life."

"Okay then," he said. Now he _really_ thought I was insane.

"So…" Jack broke in. "Da name?"

"Oh, Viola Adler?" I grinned. "Give you three guesses." They stared at me blankly for a second, then David clued in.

He smiled admiringly. "Very clever."

I shrugged. "I thought so." I looked over at Jack and Les, still trying to puzzle it out in their heads. "Give up?" They nodded, and I grinned wickedly.

"Viola, after the character in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night who disguises herself as boy to protect herself, and Adler after…"

"Irene Adler, from A Scandal in Bohemia, the only woman smart enough to best Sherlock Holmes!" David finished.

"Spot on," I replied. "So I think that both those names will give me good luck. Sherlock never met Irene again, and Viola was only discovered when her twin brother showed up. She could have gone on being Cesario indefinitely."

"Except that Olivia was in love with her, and she was in love with Orsino, so she probably would have revealed herself at some point." David argued.

"I doubt it. She might have come to court as herself, but not revealed she was also Cesario…"

Jack cut in. "Enough of dat, da both of yous! We need to get ya back to da Lodging House."

We'd come to a cross street. The sky was turning a brilliant tangerine colour, streaked with fuchsia and tiny wisps of grey cloud.

David turned to me. "Les and I should probably get going."

"See you soon then," I felt oddly sad by the thought of his leaving. It was a strange feeling. My happiness hadn't depended on anyone since I was nine years old. I took a stuttered step forward, and then moved a little more assuredly to wrap my arms around him. I felt his arms slip around my waist and for a second, I was back at Irving Hall, wrapped up in his embrace. I stepped back, and smiled warmly, a faint flush creeping onto my cheeks.

He smiled back. "Hope so."

He kept following the street we'd come from, Les by his side. I quickly shook myself out of… whatever it was. This was going to be difficult enough without going completely insane.

"Ey, Flora!" Jack nudged me. "We gots ta be goin'."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," I said, breaking into a stride.

"Ya know, we gots ta come wit somethin' ta call ya otha than Flora, and I's can't see da guys wantin' ta call ya "Viola Adler". Sounds too fancy." He looked at me thoughtfully. "So what do yous want ta be called?"

I thought it over. "Well, every newsie gets a nickname from the other newsies, so it only seems fitting if I ask them to name me."

"Sounds good, but I gots ta tell ya one thing," he warned. "Ya might not like the name deys pick, but you'll be stuck wit it!"

I laughed. "I think I'll be fine. How bad could it possibly be?"

Jack snickered. "You'll see."

I'm not sure what I expected when I walked into the Lodging House. Probably something bustling, full of yelling boys. What I got was something entirely different. The house was deathly silent and completely deserted.

"Jack," I said. "I'm reasonably sure that there are more newsies than you, David and Les. So where are they?"

He ran his hands through his hair. "Yeah, 'bout dat…"

"What?"

"Tonight, guys from all da boroughs have come ovah ta play pokah."

"Poker?" I perked up. "This should be fun! Do I get to play?"

He looked like he was about to kick himself. "No, ya don't get ta play! They'd fleece ya!"

I bristled at that. "Oh please. I'm actually superb at poker."

He held up his hands in defeat. "If you wanna lose all ya money, go right ahead." He led me further into the lodging house, towards a heavy wooden door. He swung it open.

The newsies were all crowded around a small table. Seated at the table were a bunch of boys I didn't know, and Race, one of the newsies I'd met the other day.

"Ey, Jacky boy!" one of them called. "We's been waitin' on ya!"

Jack laughed. "Tanks fellas, but I's ain't gonna be playin' today." He nudged me forward. "She's gonna play though."

The poker players' eyes focused on me. I dropped into a mocking curtsy. "If you'll have me," I paused for effect. Taking their silence as an answer, I made my way through the throng to the table.

Pie Eater hastily pulled out a chair for me. I shot him a charming smile. "Thank you," I removed my hat from my head, and stowed it in my bag. When my gaze returned to the table, I found all the newsies still staring at me. "Are you just going to stare at me all night, or are we going to play some poker?"

The room exploded with laughter, and the cards were dealt out. I examined my hand. I lucked out, I had a royal flush! I tried to keep my face neutral.

"So, is ya name as pretty as ya face?" One of them asked. He was shorter than the other newsies, but exuded power in a way the others didn't. At his side, I could see a black cane, tipped with gold. I gave him a look that clearly said 'really?'. He matched it, staring at me with one eyebrow cocked.

"I think it is," I responded, and turned my attention back to my cards. To stay, I needed to earn their respect. Of all the ways to do that, poker was the safest.

The boy next to me raised a dollar. I retrieved my bag, and dug out my change purse. "I'll raise two." I added two dollars to the pile of money accumulating on the table.

"I'll be da judge a dat," the boy with the cane responded, adding two more dollars to the jackpot. I rolled my eyes, and didn't bother giving him a response.

The game had come down to its last two players. There was me, still holding out, and the boy with the cane, who by then I'd learned was called Spot Conlon. We both had substantial amounts of money in front of us, earned from hand after hand of bluffs.

"All in," he said, pushing all his winnings towards the center. A loud 'ooh' rose from the assembled newsies. Interiorly, I cursed. I didn't have as much as he did, and I needed to match his bet. "What's da problem sweethaht?" He had taken to calling me patronizing nicknames as I hadn't given up my name. "Want ta fold?"

"Not on your life," I was hit by a sudden inspiration. I reached up to my hair, and pulled the hair pins out of my bun. I tossed them on the table. They were both silver, with red rubies set in the shape of a rose on each. Easily worth twice as much as the money he had bet.

"Yous is bettin' ya hairpins?" he ridiculed. "What da hell would I want wit ya hairpins?"

"Real silver, real rubies," I smirked. I was back in control of the situation. "One's worth at least as much as you've staked." He drummed his fingers on his cane. "Nervous, sweetheart?"

He gave me a death glare. "Not at all." He threw his cards down on the table. I looked at his cards. A straight flush. He picked up my hairpins, and examined them. "Tough break sweethaht."

I rolled my eyes. "Tough break yourself," I slapped my cards down on the table. A royal flush. Unbeatable. "I'd like my hairpins back please."

The newsies started whooping, practically going insane. Spot looked utterly shocked; horrified by the idea that some girl had beaten and taken his money. Calm and collected, I plucked the hairpins out of his hands, and swept my hair back into a bun, popping the pins back in. I reached out and pulled all the money towards me, putting in its rightful place: my purse.

"What da hell do dey teach yous at dat school a yours?" Kid Blink yelled, clapping me on the shoulder.

"Ain't it obvious?" Race answers for me. "Proper dame stuff, like dancin', French, an' a coise, pokah!"

I laugh. "That's about right." I rise from my chair, scooping my bag up. "Now, who do I talk to about staying here?"

"Ya need ta talk ta Kloppman 'bout dat," Kid Blink told me, his sole eye blinking thoughtfully. "I'll take ya to him if ya like."

"That is an excellent idea!" I exclaimed. "Lead on!"

"So you want to live here?" Kloppman sounded completely disbelieving. Not that I blamed him. If two weeks ago, someone had told me I'd be trying to move in with newsies, I'd probably have taken them to get their head checked.

"Only for three months," I hastened to add. "And I can pay rent, or cook, or clean, or really anything to earn my keep."

"And you really don't have anywhere else to go?" Briefly, David's offer flashed into my head. But that wasn't an option, not really. I shook my head. "Fine then," he said resignedly. "You can stay…" I squealed delightedly. "On the condition you do something to earn your keep."

I could have hugged him. "Absolutely sir!"

"And," he continued. "You can't sleep in the same room as the boys."

"Where can I sleep?"

"Tomorrow I'll clean out one of the storage rooms we don't use for you, and set up a cot."

I frowned, working his logic through. "Doesn't that mean I'll have to sleep with them tonight? Since my room isn't ready?"

"Well… yes… but no funny business!"

"I am utterly shocked you would suspect such a thing of me!" I drew myself up to my full height (which, at five foot nothing, wasn't all that impressive) in joking indignity.

He threw up his hands in exasperation. "I've got enough snarky newsies to deal with, never mind you too!"

I laughed, and practically bounced out the door of his office.

The newsies were all clustered around the door. The minute I stepped out, I got peppered with questions.

"I can't possibly answer all of you at once!" I squeaked.

Crutchy stepped forward. "So is yous gonna stay?"

I paused for effect before answering. "I'm so sorry about this…" Their faces fell. "But you'll all be stuck with me for three months!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Wouldn't it be loverly**

**I forgot to do this for the last chapter, and I totally meant to… I'd like to thank the wonderful human beings who have reviewed the story so far (Wapameo Huntress, Roseybelle2, A Nonny Mouse and Paisley the Flowergirl). You are all rock stars.**

**Chapter 10**

**Flora's POV**

_I was running. _

_I didn't recognize where I was, but I could tell, by some bone deep instinct, that this wasn't a good place to be. My hair was red again, and it flew wildly around my face. I was wearing a lavender dress, much fancier than anything I owned. It billowed out like a parachute around me._

_I had to keep moving at all costs, otherwise… what? What would come get me? Or who?_

"_Flora," an eerie voice echoed. I didn't recognize the voice, but it seemed to come from everywhere at once. I picked up the pace, practically flying across the cobblestones. I frowned. My feet were bare. Why were my feet bare? _

"_Flora," the voice echoed again. I tried to run even faster, but I was feeling a sinking sickness in the pit of my stomach. I was trying to outrun the one thing I would never really escape._

"Flora, get up, would ya? Cowboy wants ta see ya before we's going!"

I bolted upright, and thwacked my head on something painful. I let out a string of choice curse words.

I heard someone whistle. "I's don't think she learned dat at St. Jerome's!"

I glared through squinting eyes. It all came flooding back to me. I was at the Duane street lodging house, not on some mysterious street, I was more or less safe, my hair was still a dark walnut colour, and I was wearing pajamas, not a silk gown. All was right in the world. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and hopped down onto the floor. "So Jack would like to see me?"

"Taday, if possible," Skittery smirked. I gave him a death glare. So this is who Jack sends to wake me up? Why couldn't he send Crutchy or someone else sweet? "So get dressed, an' go meet 'im!"

I rolled my eyes. "Fine." I retrieved my bag from where I stashed it, nestled under the bunk. If he was going to be impatient, fine. I could easily play his game.

The night before, I had constructed a screen out of some spare sheets for me to change behind. I slipped behind it, and sat down. I was in no hurry.

About five minutes later, his voice sounded from the other side of the sheet. "Um, Flora?" He sounded nervous now. That was good. "Jack kinda wanted ta see ya right away."

"I am making myself presentable!" I sang. This was too fun. I got dressed quickly, humming all the while. Once I was done, I sat again. Let him wait.

Ten more minutes passed. "Flora?" he sounded _really_ nervous now. "You have ta go see Jack."

"Jack is not seeing me until I look as pretty as I possibly can!" I was probably being a bit mean to this boy. I'll give it ten more minutes.

"Jesus Skittery!" Jack burst into the room. "I tell you to bring her back in five minutes…" He left his threat unfinished.

"I tried!" he protested. "But she said she needed ta make herself 'presentable'! What da hell does dat mean?"

I glided out. "It means to make myself lovely." I smiled prettily, and Skittery flushed angrily. "Hey Jack. You wanted to see me?"

"Ya, I did." He smiled down at me. "So, I figured, if yous is gonna stay here, we oughta go ovah some rules."

I frowned at him. "So, you're turning my hideout into St. Jerome's?"

He backtracked. "NO! I wasn't… I mean…"

I laughed it off. "No, you're right. I'm in your house, your rules."

"Okay," he seemed relieved by me agreeing so easily. "Ya gotta do somethin' ta make da guys think that ya not jus' gonna mooch."

"Can do."

"No datin' da newsies dat live here,"

"Specifically those who live in the lodging house?" My mind flashed to an image of David. "Sure."

"Ya can't leave da house."

"What? No!" I whirled, outraged. "You can't pen me in like I'm some kind of animal!"

"We's tryin' ta make sure dat da convent doesn't pen ya up!" He stared down at me, infuriatingly calm. "Don't yous want ta be free?"

"Yes, but I thought I was free when I got here!" I gave him the death glare.

"I'd say yous could give Conlon a run fer 'is money wit ya glare," he smirked, not taking me seriously. "But yous already did." He walked out of the bunk room, and I stomped in frustration. Suddenly, it occurred to me that Skittery was still there.

I spun on my heel to where he stood. He was laughing at me! The absolute nerve of him! I directed my glare at him. He jumped about a mile in the air, and scurried out of the room. I snorted. So that was why they called him Skittery! Anything scares him, he skitters away!

I sat down on a bunk, my momentary amusement fading away. So they would keep me trapped in here, would they? They would regret this! I would make them regret it! I just needed a really good plan. Something that would prove my ability to go outside and not get caught. But I would make it so they couldn't get mad at me, or make Kloppman babysit me. But what?

And then it hit me. I smiled wickedly. Jack wouldn't know whether to be angry or thrilled.

**David's POV**

"Ey, Davey!" Jack called. "Good day?"

"Yeah," I called back. "Headline was good!"

He sauntered over. "How many times do I's gotta drill it inta ya head?" He punched me in the arm.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," I grimaced, rubbing my arm. He may have meant it jokingly, but it still hurt. "Headlines don't sell papes; newsies sell papes."

"Damn right!" he grinned. "Davey," his voice changed suddenly, becoming much slyer. "D'yous wanna go back ta da lodgin' house?"

"Why?" I was a little worried about the tone of his voice. What was he planning?

"Oh, no reason," his grin grew wider. "Jus' thought ya might wanna see ya goirl."

"Flora is not my girl!" I exclaimed.

"Maybe not now…"

"Fine then! I would like to see her." I admitted.

The first thing I noticed when we got into the lodging house was the smell. It reminded me of when I was little, and would sit in the kitchen in my apartment watching my mother baking.

Boots careened through the hall, coming to a stop in front of us. He mumbled a long stream of gibberish, then swallowed and tried again. "Guys, yous gotta try da cookies!"

Jack frowned. "Cookies?"

"Ya, Flora baked us cookies as a thank yous!" Boots grinned. "And dey's da best cookies in da history of da world!"

"That's so thoughtful!" I exclaimed. It was so kind of her to make us food.

"Ya, thoughtful," Jack snorted. What was with him? She did something nice.

We walked up the stairs and into the bunkroom. Every newsie was sitting on their bunks, yelling back and forth. And waltzing between them was Flora, carrying a tray of cookies.

"Hi David!" she sang. She looked luminously happy. "Want a cookie?"

"I would love one," I responded, trying to match her happiness. She walked over to us and pulled a cookie of the tray she balanced precariously in her arms. She held it out to me. I took it, and bit it. Immediately, I could taste cinnamon and sugar, warm and delicious.

"This is the most delicious cookie I have ever eaten," I tried to say, but my mouth was full of pastry.

She laughed. "Do you want a cookie, Jack?"

"How in da hell did yous make cookies?" Jack glared at her. I felt a surge of protectiveness rise up in my chest, but fought it down. She could take care of herself. She didn't need a hero.

"Well, first I sifted the dry ingredients together, then I…"

"I mean, how'd yous get de ingredients?"

"Oh, I just went down to the grocer…"

Jack's voice sounded like thunder. Everyone suddenly got quiet, but she wasn't backing down. Her eyes flashed like steel. "And how did yous go ta da grocah if I asked yous ta stay in here?"

"I thought that feeding your newsies would be fine with you, but obviously not!" She slammed the cookie tray down on one of the bunks. "There's another batch if anyone wants more." She stormed out of the room.

Everyone stared at the door where she'd exited.

"I should go after her," I said, and began towards the door.

As I left, I heard the beginnings of a conversation. "Y'know, dey were damn good cookies," Race said.

"Dey really were," Kid Blink added in a hushed voice as the door swung shut.

As soon as I left the room I saw her perched at the top of the stairs, her mouth twisted into an ironic smile. I sat down beside her.

"I shouldn't have done that," she admitted, not meeting my eyes.

"It was a nice thought," I tried to cheer her up.

She twisted around to look at me "But I did it to drive him crazy."

I shrugged. "No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness."

Her gray eyes lit up. "Aristotle?"

I nodded, and her smile lost its ironic slant. It was softer, more genuine. "Then you must be a little mad."

"So…" I blushed, abruptly changing the subject. "Where'd you learn to bake like that?"

"One of the sister's favourite punishments was kitchen duty. I turned it into a learning experience." She explained.

I whistled. "You must have gotten punished a lot to get that good."

"I have a bit of a problem with authority." She smiled, a little embarrassed.

"So does Jack," I grinned. It was true; Jack didn't believe there was any authority that superseded his.

She sighs heavily, her narrow shoulders bending inwards in a slump. "But he is the authority. If her wanted he could just kick me out, and I'd be stuck."

"He could never kick you out,"

"Why not?"

"I heard that you kicked Conlon's ass at poker. He's never going to let someone who can do that slip through his fingers!"

She threw her head back and laughed. I was transfixed by her laugh. It wasn't a flighty giggle, or charming and musical; her laugh was a throaty hiccupping sound, manic and hysterical. It made her seem like a human being, not the mythical girl who fell from the wagon.

"I should go apologize," she stood, using the bannister to help herself up. "After all, I don't want the only reason I'm kept around to be for Manhattan to show off."

I got up as well. "It'd be a damn good reason, though."

We walked back into the bunk room.

As soon as we entered the room, everyone fell silent, their eyes trained on Flora.

She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry that I undermined your authority by leaving the house. It won't happen again."

Jack looked down at her. "Apology 'cepted," Loud whoops were heard throughout the room. "But yous have ta keep makin' cookies."

She tilted her head, confused. "Really? But you were so angry about them. What changed your mind?"

He looked a little ashamed. "I tried one, an' it was perfect."

"I have to be able to go outside to buy ingredients." She fixed him with a pleading stare. She was quite good at it; she made her eyes wide and her lip quiver to full effect.

"Alrigh', fine. As long as someone is with yous!"

"Yes!" she shrieked, bouncing over and hugging him so tightly he began to choke.

"I's kinda regrettin' dis decision."

"Don't worry; I won't give any cause for worry!" She looked up at him with delighted eyes. I had a feeling that Jack would regret it; but not for the reason he thought he would.

**Keep those a reviews a comin'!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my OCs. Tragic, isn't it? And I'm super ultra mega sorry for it taking so long to post. I will not bore you with my pathetic excuses... but the blame fully goes on whoever decided not to have wifi at the resort I was at. **

**Chapter 11**

**Flora's POV**

_Two weeks later_

"Order up!"

I quickly ran over to the counter. Due to the fact that I had been baking so many batches of cookies that – shocker - the newsies had become incapable of eating them all (I went a little bit stir crazy), Jack had finally let up on the injunction that kept me under lock and key in the newsie house, and told me that I needed to do something with myself. So there I was, one week later, the newest waitress at Tibby's.

"Jesus, girl, get a move on!" Trevor, the head cook at Tibby's, stood behind the counter glaring at me. I swear, if I had had wings on my heels, it would not have been fast enough for this guy. I pulled the plates onto a wide platter and set out towards table six.

"Vi!" Milena, one of the other waitresses called. I'd told everyone at the restaurant to call me Viola. Not that I didn't trust them, but I didn't want anyone slipping up. With my luck, the day one of them slipped up would be the day that Mr. Lloyd decided to drop by for a cup of coffee. Milena called me Vi, being the big believer in nicknames she was. "_Jak się masz mój kochany?" _

"You know I don't speak Polish," I teased, deftly popping the plates down onto the table. Milena could speak flawless English, even though she'd grown up speaking only Polish. She had a knack for languages, and the determination to learn any that she could. She couldn't be called beautiful, not exactly, but she was something better than beautiful: she was striking. Some girls, you would look at for a second, then forget their faces. Milena was someone whose image was so singular, you never quite forgot. She spoke softly, and was a very gentle soul. Being around her, after spending most of my day with boisterous newsies, was a very welcome change.

"Sorry," she shrugged, not looking very sorry at all. "Maybe you should learn. A girl can never know too many languages!"

"Alright," I laughed, finishing putting the plates down. "I'll get right on that."

She studied me, her dark eyes narrowing. "Maybe you should. It'd get your mind of that boy."

An image of David popped into my head, but I shook it out. "What boy?"

"David. One of those newsies you're so fond of." She said mischievously.

"First Elle, now you." I threw my hands up, exasperated. "Does everyone I meet have to pair me off with David?"

She just smiled calmly, which was utterly frustrating. "You clearly like each very much. And you keep making those literature references that sound romantic!"

"That doesn't make him 'my one true love'!" I swoon dramatically.

"You said it, not I."

I'm saved from making a snide comeback by Trevor screaming at us from the kitchen. "Order up, for Christ's sake! I swear, if your not here in two seconds, it will be you we're frying up!"

I can't quite hear what Milena says next, but it sounds like an impressive stream of curse words in several different languages. I bite back a smile, and go to pick up my next order.

* * *

"Buon giorno,"

"Buon giorno,"

"Il mio nome è Racetrack,"

"Il mio nome è Milena,"

"Vuoi andare ad un appuntamento con me?"

I slammed a plate down in front of Race. About half of the Manhattan newsies had claimed a table at the front of the restaurant, and Race was taking advantage of Milena's aptitude for languages.

"Don't you dare make her say anything she'll regret later!" I exclaimed. "If you're going to eat here, at least have the courtesy not to drive the waitresses crazy!"

"Oh, but he wasn't driving me crazy!" Milena said, straightening up. "He was teaching me Italian!"

"I know he was teaching you Italian," I rolled my eyes. That girl was sweeter than sugar, but entirely too trusting. "What he was teaching you to _say_ in Italian is the issue."

Race blows me a kiss. "Caught again, sugar!"

I frown. "You know I hate that name!" The newsies had taken to calling me that after the cookie debacle. I guess Jack was right when he said I might not like the name they gave me.

He shrugged. "Why else would I'se use it?"

Milena giggled. Traitor! I readied myself to destroy them both, but was distracted by the sight that comes through the front door.

It was Jack, David and Les, looking like they'd just come back from a nice holiday in hell.

I faintly heard the rest of the newsies yelling, but everything had gone quiet in my mind. I began to run, weaving around tables, until I came to a hurdling halt in front of them.

I found my voice, and it sounded completely alien to me. "What the hell happened?"

Jack grinned, which would've been more comforting if his mouth hadn't been bleeding. "The Delancey's needed ta be taught a lesson."

I sighed heavily. I understood that the Delanceys were spectacularly horrid, but the newsies seemed to take taunting them as their _raison d'etre_. "Come back to the kitchen, I'll clean you up." I scooped Les up in my arms, and wove back through the tables with them following.

"Girly, you'd better not be taking them back to the kitchen!" Trevor yelled. I shot him a very unladylike gesture, and Les whistled. Some lady I was. The Mother Superior would have been horrified.

I pushed through the doorway of the kitchen, and plunked Les down on the counter. I turned to face David and Jack. "The both of you sit." They sat down on two of the crates that dotted the kitchen floor like unwieldy constellations. "Why you must do these things is beyond me! You come into my place of work and it's like you've suddenly turned into Tybalt!"

David perked up, despite the giant gash on his forehead. "Peace? Peace. I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee."

I turned, searching for the first aid kit. "Yes, well I'm not feeling so charitable towards you at the moment." I retrieved the kit and kneeled in front of David. I pulled a bandage out, and began to wrap the cut on his forehead.

Les piped up. "You should be nicer. He fought the Delanceys for you!" My body froze up at his words, but my eyes flickered from the bandage to his eyes.

"For me?" I searched his eyes, looking for a reason he'd do that for me. "Why?"

Jack smiled wryly. "We ran inta dem. Started talkin' 'bout youse. Said youse were a doirty…" He paused, seemingly unwilling to say the words.

"Whore?" I filled in the gap, a sad smile playing on my lips. The look on their faces told me I was right. "Go on."

Les picked up the story's thread. "And all sorts of other nasty things. Things you shouldn't say in front of a lady."

Jack continued. "So our boy Davey slugs him. Which of course set 'em off…"

"You didn't have to do that," I hadn't broken eye contact with David since the story began. That simple action – defending me – is something no one had done for me in five years.

"I couldn't just let it happen," he shrugged, and then winced. "You're too good for them to even think about you, let alone say those things."

For the first time ever, I was totally and utterly speechless.

"Um…" I desperately searched my mind for the words that would adequately express the overwhelming… _feelings_ that were rattling around my heart. On one hand, I was dizzily happy that he would stand up for me like I was the princess in her tower, and he was the knight in shining armor. On the other, who the hell needed a knight in shining armor? I was no swooning southern belle who needed people to fight duels on her behalf. "Thank you," I said decisively. This was an act of kindness, not something I needed to over analyze. Granted, I had already analyzed it half to death.

He smiled gently. "Anytime,"

Jack coughed dryly. "If yous two are done I's need someone ta fix me up."

I rose abruptly, blushing furiously. "Don't you worry. I'll make you pretty again!"

I cleaned both him and Les up with devastating efficiency. Apart from a few teeth knocked out of Jack's mouth, none of their injuries were permanent, thank God. I'd thought that some of the nastier cuts might need stitches, but all they really needed was bandages and some iodine. Once they weren't a sight for sore eyes, we returned triumphantly to the dining room. The newsies called out to the returning heroes, congratulating them on the "soaking", as they put it, of the Delanceys. I barely paid attention to that. What I _did_ pay attention to was Milena, again perched on the edge of Race's chair, and learning some semblance of Italian.

"Vorrei ottenere così ubriaco non mi ricordo più il mio nome."

"Vorrei ottenere così ubriaco non mi ricordo più il mio nome."

"Oh no you don't!" I exclaimed. "Racetrack Higgins, I warned you once!"

"What was he making her say?" Skittery called. I rolled my eyes. Of course he would want to know that.

"If you must know," I sighed dramatically, really milking the moment for all it was worth. Why couldn't I have a little fun with it? "I wish to get so drunk I no longer remember my own name." The newsies whooped, Milena turned a delicate shade of magenta, and Race at least had the grace to look sheepish.

Milena drew herself up, and stormed away, uttering a stream of colourful language in several different languages. Her vast knowledge of curse words made me wonder about where exactly she picked up her languages.

"Since when do yous speak Italian, Fl… Sugar?" Kid Blink called out, quickly stopping himself from revealing my secret identity to the entire restaurant.

I scowled at him, but answered him all the same. "I wanted to read Dante, so I learned Italian from a dictionary."

David tilted his head curiously. "You know there are English translations, right?"

I shrugged. "I didn't have one at the ready, and I really wanted to read the Divine Comedy."

He looked at me keenly. "You're incredible, you know that?"

I blushed, but desperately tried to hide it. "You do know how to make a girl feel special!" I turned my attention to the rest of the table. "Now, if you aren't going to settle up your tab, I'll send you back to the kitchen, and you'll be washing dishes for two weeks!"

They all started pooling their money, and I turned my attention to that, blush (and accompanying feelings) successfully hidden.

**Review for magical sparkle happiness (for both me and you!)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Mrp.**

**Chapter 12**

**Flora's POV**

"Milena!" I sang out. "It's quitting time!"

"_Vive la libert__é__!_" she shrieked in delight. She bounced over, practically squeaking with happiness. I watched her curiously. She was usually a little more reserved than this. Not a lot, mind you, but a little.

"What's got you in such a flutter?" I wondered, shooting her an inquisitive look, one eyebrow cocked.

"_N'aimeriez vous pas savoir!" _she smirked, a wicked sparkle in her eyes.

"Fine then," I shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't tell me."

She was silent for a moment, and then sound poured out of her like a torrent. "Fine, I'll tell you! I have a date!"

Unsurprising. The boys who come to Tibby's look at her like she's more delicious than the meals in front of them. "With who?"

"Alessandro, from that bakery over on West 99th and Broadway!" her eyes shine like lanterns. "He asked me I'd like to go for a stroll in the park with him, after work today!"

"A stroll in the park? Complete with chaperone?" I smirked.

"Yes! Isn't he a gentleman!" she squeaked, effusive. "His sister will accompany us!"

"That's wonderful," I said, truly meaning it. Suddenly, the light drained out of her eyes, confusion replacing it.

"Vi?" her voice was quiet and careful. "Don't turn around, but there is something a little worrisome behind you."

I froze, each muscle locking down with panic. "What?"

Her accent thickened perceptibly. "Delancys. At the door."

The Delancys. My mind swirled and splintered with bleak memories and scars that suddenly burned. Would they have recognized me? Make a scene? I couldn't have a scene. It would've be a dead giveaway there was something not quite right about the new waitress.

"Milena," I whispered, by voice sinking from the high lilt I used in public to an almost guttural tone. "I need to go. I need to leave now."

She threaded her arm through mine and began to march me towards the kitchen. The panic was receding to a tiny point in the center of my mind. I was nearly safe.

"Miss?"

Milena whirled, a confused smile pasted on her face. "_Sentitzen dut, izan ziren niri hitz egiten?" _

"I'm sorry, I don't speak..." the boy in front of her apologized. Morris Delancey. For Christ's sake, that boy seems to be entirely focused on my affairs, without even knowing he was! "I was hoping you could introduce me to your friend."

Her smile gained a glint of steel. "How unfortunate for you, but we must be going." She pivoted back on her foot, and continued walking.

"Oh, but I would very much like to meet her," another voice chimes in. Oscar. Milena sped up, but not quickly enough.

Suddenly, an arm snaked around my waist, and I felt hot breath on my ear. "Hey dollface," Oscar Delancey's voice crept into my ear. I held back a shiver of revulsion.

I didn't think; I just reacted. I slammed my elbow backwards into his ribcage, and took off running.

I slammed through the kitchen door, and out the back door into the tiny alley than ran up against the restaurant. I could hear the thundering footsteps of the Delanceys behind me, so I didn't stop. I hurtled out of the alley into the bustling street, taking the curb on the turn of a dime. I was almost flying; my feet were beating the pavement so fast.

All of a sudden, I slammed into something. I was too focused on **what** I was getting away from, not **where **I was getting away to. I collapsed on the ground.

"I'm so sorry," I heard a voice say above me. Looking up, I saw a pretty dark haired girl hovering over me. I had smashed, nose first, into her laundry basket.

"No, it's fine," I said, attempting to rise from the sidewalk. I was struck by a dizzy sensation.

She hastened to grab my arm to steady me. "Miss? You're bleeding!"

Shocked, I brought my hand to my face. Bringing it away, I saw my fingers drenched in crimson blood.

It was the blood that did it. Or maybe it was the fact that I could still feel the adrenaline of the chase seeping from my system. A touch of panic from the fact that I could sense the Delancey's were still on my tail. A potent mix.

For the second time that day, I slumped to the ground, this time in a dead faint.

The last thing I heard is the girl calling someone's name, but I couldn't make it out before I'm gone.

**David's POV**

I was quietly losing myself in David Copperfield, finally home after a long day of selling, when I heard the yelling from the other side of the door.

"David!" A shrill, very feminine voice wailed from the other side of the door. My blood froze. Sarah. "David, open the door!"

I bolted out of my chair and to the door, wrenching it open. I practically yanked Sarah through the doorway. "Sarah, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she soothed, "There are no problems with me."

I nodded, worries assuaged. Then the full force of her statement hit me. There were no problems with _her._

Wordlessly, I ran out of the apartment, my feet beating the familiar path to the lodging house.

* * *

"Who's hurt this time?" I asked, staring around at the newsies. They were all crowded around the door to the bunkroom, looking at something. I couldn't elbow my way through them, so I was reduced to staring at their backs, waiting for a response to my question. "Is it another fight?"

Kid Blink looked at me as though I was a German Shepard who'd suddenly started talking. "Shouldn't yous know? She's your goirl."

The world became blindingly clear. "Flora?"

Crutchy shouldered his way over. "Yeah, Jack brought her in. She hasn't woken up yet."

I pushed my way through the crowd, my heart pounding, my head reeling. And then I saw her.

She was lying on one of the bunks, her hair fanned out below her, like a princess in one of the old fairy tales. Jack was kneeling beside her, watching her face closely.

"What the hell happened?" I exclaimed angrily.

"I don't know," he shrugged expansively, but his nerves were obvious. "When I found her, she was passed out on the sidewalk."

"She crashed into me when I was walking home from work," Sarah's soft voice sounded from behind me. I hadn't heard her come in. "She was running so fast I couldn't avoid her, and she hit my laundry basket head-on. Nose started to bleed. When I pointed it out to her, she took one look at the blood and passed out. It was sheer luck that Jack was around."

Jack picked up the narrative. "Sarah was screamin' bloody murder, so it wasn't dat hard ta find her. Recognized Flora, and brought her back here."

"Has anyone called a doctor?" I asked sharply. "If she passed out at the sight of blood and hasn't woken up yet, why the hell hasn't someone gotten a doctor?"

"We can't pay him, Davey," Jack retorted. "And I ain't heard of a doctor who'll treat someone for free."

"Medda could pay," I shot back.

"Boys!" Sarah shouted. We turned to stare at her. She almost never raised her voice. "Calm down!" She took a deep breath. "How about this: we only call the doctor if she doesn't wake up in the next hour."

I wasn't happy about it, but we all agreed, and settled in to wait for Sleeping Beauty to wake up.

**So I know I'm a horrible human being for making you wait this long. I shan't bore you with my terrible excuses**

**Review for cosmic goodwill and good karma!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm really sorry this one took so long to get up. I finished it; then the computer it was saved on traveled to China. So I kind of left my main character unconscious for a coupe weeks while the computer toured the great wall of China without me. Sorry about that.**

_I was standing still in the middle of a ballroom, couples dancing in a swirling storm with me at the center. Everything appeared exquisite, but if I tried to focus on one particular detail, it blurred._

"_Flora Magdalena Collins!" A loud voice echoed through the room. Everyone began to applaud… me. They were applauding me. But why? What had I done?_

_A hand gripped my narrow waist. Before I could react, I was pulled backwards into the dance._

_I had no partner. I whirled from person to person, never seeing their faces. The sound of a string quartet swelled and strained over the quiet roar of the crowd. A lilting soprano sang a lament. _

_The music began to speed up. I spun even faster now, my feet pounding a rhythm that was both foreign and completely familiar. I could pick out some of the lyrics. The song seemed to be about whether to fetch a doctor for an injured girl._

_The music was now at a feverish, panicky pitch. The singer was racing to keep up, her voice splintering over the chords. I couldn't even feel people hand me off anymore; I was whirling uncontrollably, but I was free._

_The music reached a searing crescendo, and then silenced. Quiet applause pattered throughout the room. The adrenaline of the last minute faded to a dull throb._

_And the floor dropped out from under me. _

_Suddenly I was falling through a black abyss, my hands desperately grasping at the air above me. I screamed, but the sound got lost in the air that rushed around me. _

_I hit the ground… but it was far too soft to be the ground. I twisted, trying to ascertain where I was. A bed?_

"Ey, she's wakin' up!"

"Ey sugar, how ya feelin'?"

Faces swam into focus above me. Race, Jack, Kid Blink, Crutchy… what exactly was I doing in the boys bunkroom? Napping? I swung my legs off the bed, trying to hop , hands gently pushed me down.

"What are you doing?" I squawked indignantly. "I am perfectly fine!"

"No, you ain't!" Kid Blink rolled his eye. "Da docta said yous were… what'd he say?"

"In shock," Crutchy filled in the blank. "

"I'm fine," I assured them. They looked unconvinced. "No really! I feel superb. Never better. Now if you would just let me get up, and return to my room…" I tried to rise, but they pushed me back down again.

"Da docta said…" Kid Blink began, but I cut him off with a vicious glare.

"What doctor?" I asked. "If you paid for a doctor, when I'm obviously DID NOT need one…"

"We didn't pay for nothing," Race jumped in. "If yous like, yous paid for him."

"I didn't think yous needed one," Jack smirked. "But Davey insisted."

"David? He was here?" My eyes scanned the newsies, searching for him but coming up lacking.

"He and Sarah had to go home," Jack ran his hands through his hair. "Dinner, or something."

"Sarah was here?" I grinned wickedly. "As in, Sarah, David's sister and your ladylove?"

"Yous don't get ta treat me like dis," he affected a look of mock outrage. "I's seen da way yous look at Davey."

I attempted to keep my composure. "I am sure I don't know what you mean."

Race spoke in a highly insulting shrill voice. "Oh David! I swoon when you quote fancy books at me!"

"So? We love the same books! What's wrong with that?" I went on the defensive.

"And yous turn bright pink whenever somebody mentions him," Kid Blink added, batting his only visible eye. "See, yous is doin' it now!"

"I do no such thing!" Traitorous blushing!

"And even da way yous say his name is so cute!"

"I hate you all!" I buried my face in the pillows.

"Alright fellas, lay off," I heard Jack say. I peeked out from my fortress of solitude. Maybe I had been granted a reprieve from this merciless torture. "But, bein' completely honest, da way yous say his name is ridiculous."

"Is not!" I sat back up, glaring at them all.

"Prove it!" someone catcalled from the back of the room.

"You know what, I shall!" I took a deep breath. "David."

"See, dere it is!" Race grinned crookedly. "That weird way yous says it!"

"How? How do I say it?" I frowned incredulously. I didn't hear anything odd about the way I said his name.

"It's not so much da way yous says it…" Crutchy tilted his head thoughtfully. "It's da little things yous do when yous says it."

"Like blushing!" Mush added. "And yous smile in a really goofy way…"

"This is all patently untrue." I struggled to keep my cool. I did not do that! At all! "I do not blush, I have naturally rosy cheeks, and when I smile, which I do not do whenever I say his name, it is not in a goofy way!" I struggled up. "I don't have to take this! I am returning to my room!" I moved to take a step, fighting off the ringing noise in my head. Huh. I guess the doctor was right about the whole shock thing.

"Oh no you don't," Jack swooped in, and before I knew it, I was curled up like a child in his arms. "Da doctah said yous need ta be in bed for a week."

"A week?!" I spoke with unmitigated horror. "But I can't be in bed for a week! I have my job, and I need to keep paying you rent…"

He had the nerve to wink at me. "Sugar, we's bettin' dat soon, you'll have enough dough to buy da whole house."

"Nothing I say will change your mind about this, will it?"

"Nope."

I could probably blatantly disobey Jack and keep going out. I needed to keep working, and I needed to find out if Milena was alright after the Delancey's showed up. Sneaking out would be easy enough; I'd done it before without any problems. On the other hand, I had already crossed him once. If I deliberately disobeyed him again, I'd lose my chance to stay here until everything was sorted.

"Fine," I forced a smile. "I can do that." No way in hell was I going to stay cooped up in here while they all swanned about, probably having a good laugh at my expense. I needed to leave, at least for a little while. And Jack could absolutely not find out about it. So… how best to do it?

**SO... I know I'm a horrible human being and don't deserve the love that has been showered on this story, but please review!**


End file.
